Legacy of the Fourth
by General Templar
Summary: The battle with Hidan and Kazuku is over, but Orochimaru's body transfer is near and Akatsuki begins to heavily pursue Naruto. How I envision the Naruto series to end from the Team 10 Arc on.
1. Chapter 1: Awakening

The setting for this story takes place right after the Team 10 Arc in the manga. I started writing this during the arc, and this story is how I envision Naruto to end from this point to the end of the manga. There will be pairings, but I'm intentionally leaving all of you out in the dark so you won't guess at future events. Sue me.

I hope you enjoy the story, and please leave your reviews!! Complements and/or criticisms are greatly appreciated.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its affiliates, I only own this plot and my own original characters.

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**Chapter 1: Awakening**

Shikamaru awakened to a bright light shining in his face. _"Where am I? Am I dead?"_ He quickly arose upon realizing this as a possibility only to find himself inside a hospital bed. _"How long was I out?"_

The last thing he remembered was his battle with Hidan, if you could even call it a battle that is. _"I must have passed out, but why am I here?"_ Shikamaru cringed at the thought that he was the only survivor. What happened to Ino, Chouji, and Kakashi?

"So you're finally awake," said a familiar voice. Shikamaru turned to see Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage standing in the doorway. "You have been out for days; we thought you weren't going to make it."

"_Out for days? What exactly happened there?" _Shikamaru's thoughts quickly diverted back to his team, as he recalled the events of the time he lead his friends in an attempt to rescue the renegade Sasuke. "What happened to everyone else? How did I get here? The last thing I remember was being defeated by Hidan."

Tsunade grinned at Shikamaru. "Typical thing of the group leader to question the well-being of his teammates first. Don't worry, everyone should be fine. Lucky for you guys Sakura was there, otherwise you and Ino would probably be dead."

"Wait a minute, Sakura? When did she get there?" Shikamaru thought only his team was in the battle. Did Tsunade send backup?

"I did not feel comfortable sending you guys alone, so I sent Sakura, Naruto, and Yamato as backup. We did achieve a victory against Akatsuki though. Hidan was killed by Naruto, but Kazuku escaped."

"_Naruto killed Hidan? How, I thought he was immortal. Nothing I was doing had any effect on him."_ Shikamaru smirked at the thought as to how much Naruto has grown. _"Heh, that baka was the dropout of our class, and now he just killed an S-Ranked criminal."_

"Man it's troublesome being here. Am I free to leave?" asked Shikamaru. He wanted to get out of the hospital badly.

"You have clearance to leave whenever you want. Just don't do anything stupid like trying to take an Akatsuki member without sufficient backup again." Tsunade glared at Shikamaru, obviously not over the stunt he tried to pull earlier. _"If I had not caught them, we might have four dead shinobi right now."_

Shikamaru bowed his head in disgust. Although he had a plan, he now knew it wasn't the smartest decision he ever made. "Whatever. It's too troublesome just lying here in a bed all day. I'm getting some air."

He rose from his bed and left the room, leaving a grinning Tsunade. _"Not even a goodbye or a thank you. Oh well, what else can you expect from him."_

* * *

Shikamaru knocked on Ino's door. He wanted to see how she was faring, and more importantly, what actually happened with the other fight. "Come in," responded a voice that appeared to be Ino's.

Shikamaru entered the room and looked at Ino. She wasn't heavily bandaged, which surprised him. "Feeling better?"

Ino struggled to emit a smile. She was just glad to see him still alive. "Not really, but I'm trying to get by. Thanks for worrying though. I heard you had it rough. You should thank Naruto. Although he may act stupid at times, he did save your life." She quickly grabbed her ribs, making it apparent that speaking caused pain to her.

"I know it's troublesome, but I'll thank him the next time I see him." He knew that would add to his ego though, but that was alright for the time being. "What happened to you though, you don't look wounded, but something's not right." Shikamaru stared at Ino, making her know that he was serious about her condition.

"I am not completely sure what happened to be honest. I used my Mind Transfer technique on Kazuku, and felt immense pain once I entered his body." Ino began to cough forcefully. She was in obvious pain, and Shikamaru knew it. He raised his hand in an attempt to let her know he'd ask later, but Ino didn't listen. "I could feel very little that was human about him. It felt like he was in severe pain all the time. I couldn't take it, so I left, but the pain was transferred to me when I returned to my body. That's all I remembered."

Shikamaru nodded slowly at Ino. It seemed she had some psychological damage, but he knew she would recover with time. "Well I'm glad you're okay. You're obviously in pain, so I'll let you rest."

Ino nodded with a smile at Shikamaru. "Thanks for visiting. Say hello to Chouji for me!"

Shikamaru raised his hand in approval and left her room. From what he got from Tsunade, Chouji left the hospital yesterday, and Kakashi was never emitted. He smirked at that thought. Since when wasn't Kakashi in a hospital?

Shikamaru left the hospital, relieved to breathe fresh air again. Now he had to find that Naruto. "This is so troublesome. But at least I have an idea of where he is." He headed to the Ichiraku Ramen shop, almost certain he would find Naruto there.

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**Translations:  
_ baka _**- Idiot 


	2. Chapter 2: Hinata's Resolve

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its affiliates, I only own this plot and my own original characters.

**Chapter 2: Hinata's Resolve**

_Flashback_  
Kurenai opened her door to see a pale faced Shikamaru. Her heart immediately sank upon seeing him. She knew they returned from their mission, but why so soon. In addition, why did only two teams return to Konoha.

"Are you busy Kurenai-sensei? There's something I need to talk to you about."

Kurenai didn't need Shikamaru to tell her what went wrong. "It's Asuma," Kurenai uttered with tears dripping from her face.

Shikamaru hesitated and nodded. "Asuma-sensei passed away during a battle with Akatsuki." Kurenai nearly fainted as she fell to the floor with her face full of tears. Shikamaru did the first thing he thought of. He kneeled down and put his arm around her shoulders in a vain attempt to comfort her. "He wanted me to tell you something though, as his final wish."  
_End flashback_

* * *

"_Asuma loved you."_

Those words ran through Kurenai's mind as she kneeled before Asuma's grave. She loved him too, and she felt that they were so close to having it all. But why did he die? How could someone as strong as Asuma Saratobi die so easily? She didn't ask for the reason he died or for how he died. She did not want to know.

Kurenai began to cry as she knelt down. Never before had she felt as much pain that she felt now. She was angry at Tsunade for not sending her to fight her lover's murderer. However, she did feel a sigh of relief when she heard the news of his murderer's death.

"_At least he was revenged. His death was not in vain,"_ thought Kurenai. She quickly regained her emotions as she heard slow, nervous steps behind her. She quickly spun around to see who it was, only to be relieved when she found out it was Hinata.

She managed to show a slight smile in front of her. Hinata always made her feel happy, mostly because she was just like her when she was young. "What brings you here girl?"

Hinata looked frightened, almost like she wished Kurenai didn't sense her. "I-I'm sorry for intruding. I just saw you sad…and wanted to make sure you were o-okay." In fact, at this moment Hinata wished she didn't follow Kurenai to the graveyard. What good was it going to accomplish?

Kurenai looked into her pale, sad eyes. There was no way she could ever mean any harm, and Kurenai knew she only wanted to help her beloved sensei. "Thanks Hinata. I'm really alright." She wiped away the tears from her eyes, hoping Hinata didn't catch them.

Hinata walked closer to Kurenai. "You loved him didn't you?"

Kurenai gasped at Hinata's comment. _"So she knew too."_ She wondered where Hinata picked that up, but then realized that her current emotions probably showed it well enough. "You're sharp as always. Yes, I did. We were close and always did everything together when we were in Konoha."

She looked at Hinata's eyes again. She appeared to be listening intently to what Kurenai was saying. "It's amazing how fast time slips away from us all. One moment you think you have everything, but the next moment it's all gone." She quickly glanced at her student. She did not want Hinata's life to end up like hers. "Do you have anyone special to you Hinata?"

Hinata gasped at Kurenai's comment. "W-well…y-yeah. Ano, my family, sister Hanabi…..and, ano, Neji-nii-san has opened up to me lately."

Kurenai smiled at Hinata's comment. "I'm not talking about family girl. Do you have anyone special to you?" Kurenai asked the question again, wondering if she'll get a different answer, if one at all, from her.

Hinata stood there with her mouth open. What was she supposed to say? She wondered why Kurenai would ask her something of this nature in front of Asuma's grave. _"Naruto-kun….I want too, but…but I'm not ready."_ Hinata bowed her head, but her blush gave it all away to Kurenai.

"_She's a terrible liar. I could tell from the first Chuunin Exam she entered." _She smiled down at Hinata and raised her face to meet hers. "I figured as much. You're probably wondering why I'd say something like that here. I used to be just like you – hesitant and afraid. But this has made me learn something. You cannot make up the time you lose with your loved ones."

Hinata still stood there looking at Kurenai. "_What was she saying? What does she mean by all this?"_

Kurenai knew she didn't take all of that in. "The life of a shinobi is dangerous. One minute you could be alive, but the next you could be dead. And once someone is dead, they will never know how you really felt. I realized this after I got the news of Asuma." Kurenai walked to Hinata and embraced her student. "I don't want you to live like I did.

Hinata wanted to say something, but nothing came out. _"So that is what Kurenai-sensei means. I-I think…I know what I have to do." _Hinata looked at Kurenai and smiled. "Hai," she responded.

Kurenai looked surprised at Hinata's reaction. Did she actually understand what I meant? "Hinata, you're my favorite student. Try not to worry about me. I'll be fine. Let's head back to town." Hinata smiled and followed Kurenai as she made her way out of the graveyard.

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**Translations:**  
**Ano** - Hesitation word (like ummm)  
**Hai** - Yes


	3. Chapter 3: A New Threat

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its affiliates, I only own this plot and my own original characters.

* * *

** Chapter 3: A New Threat**

Tsunade headed to her office. She was just relieved that everyone made it back okay. _"Next time I'll make a better decision."_

She was surprised to see her assistant, Shizune, standing outside of her doorway. _"I thought I told her to finish up her work. She'd better have a good reason why she isn't working."_

"Hokage-sama!" said Shizune. "I know you're probably wondering why I'm not inside the office doing work."

Tsunade nodded, not retracting her glare on Shizune. "It better be a good reason." She was already extremely behind with her work to begin with, and she was hoping Shizune would help with it.

"Hai," Shizune responded. "I was in the office doing some paperwork when Jiraiya-sama…"

"Jiraiya! What the hell is Jiraiya doing in my office!" declared Tsunade. She hasn't seen that old hermit in a couple months, but he knew better than to barge into the Hokage's office uninvited, especially her office! "No explanation needed. I will just have to give him the beating I gave years ago."

Tsunade walked up to the door in an attempt to open it. "I tried that Godaime, but it appears that he locked the door." Just as Shizune finished the sentence, Tsunade punched down the door with her monstrous strength. She found a blank Jiraiya sitting on her desk.

"Well, it seems as if you have a lot of work here to do Miss," declared Jiraiya.

Tsunade glared at Jiraiya. It was clear that he was getting on her nerves. Shizune decided that now was not a good time to interfere, so she proceeded to head away from the Hokage's office, leaving only Tsunade and Jiraiya, two of the legendary sannin, to deal with each other.

"Why do you always bother me at the most inopportune time Jiraiya?" asked Tsunade.

"Why do you always think I come here for no reason? I was away performing my research, but now I'm back. You should be openly inviting me here instead of barring my entrance."

Tsunade put her hand on her head and sighed. He is always so damn interested in his research! "Well you came to the wrong person. Go visit Kakashi, I think he's almost done with his book," Tsunade joked. More than not, she just wanted Jiraiya out of her office so she can get some work done.

However, Jiraiya just stared at Tsunade. _"Why does that hag think I act like that all the time?"_ There was something extremely important Tsunade needed to know. "Although it may surprise you, that was not the research I was referring too. I have extremely important information on Akatsuki and Orochimaru."

This quickly got Tsunade's attention. With all the events going on with Akatsuki, she completely forgot about Orochimaru. The time for the transfer had to be soon. Was this what Jiraiya wanted to talk about?

"First, I should talk about Akatsuki. As it stands, they have five bijous extracted. You know what this means right? Soon they will be forced to go after Naruto for his Kyuubi."

A long, awkward silence rose between the two. Of course Tsunade knew of Akatsuki's goals, but she couldn't just leave Naruto in the village to do nothing. He for one, wouldn't allow it. "I'm aware of that Jiraiya. Besides, Akatsuki is weaker now. We killed one of their members the other day."

Jiraiya laughed at Tsunade's remark. "You think that hurt Akatsuki? You only managed to kill one of their weaker members, and anyway, you may be surprised to know that he has already been replaced.

Tsunade's eyes opened widely at that remark. _"Replaced already? But it's been less than a week since his death."_ Tsunade began to quiver out of fear. This was clearly not an organization that was messing around. "What do you think we should do Jiraiya," Tsunade asked.

Tsunade actually asked the old hermit for help. This was clearly not like her, and Jiraiya knew it. "I'm not completely finished yet. That was not the reason I wanted to talk to you. At the moment, the larger threat is Orochimaru. You do know what time it is. It has been two years and eleven months since Sasuke defected, and nearly that much time has passed since Orochimaru last transferred bodies. If he is able to take control of Sasuke's body, he will have the Sharingan and will become stronger than anyone in the world now, even me."

Tsunade never felt so small in the world. _"Dammit. What am I supposed to do? We don't even know where Orochimaru is, and with the increasing Akatsuki threat, I can't afford to send shinobi after him. Dammit this is such a tough situation." _She had one option, and she hated to do it. "What do you suppose I do Jiraiya."

Jiraiya smirked, knowing he had Tsunade cornered. "The only thing you can do. I am going after Orochimaru, but Naruto is coming with me." He looked into Tsunade's eyes, knowing that she was reluctant to confirm his decision.

Tsunade put the palm of her hand on her forehead. "You don't even know where he is Jiraiya. There's a good chance that he'll already have Sasuke's body by the time you find him."

"I think you're wrong there," replied Jiraiya. He knew he was holding information back, but the less the old hag knew the better. "Let Naruto come with me. I ensure he'll be okay."

"Alright, I'll give you permission to take Naruto in an attempt to rescue Sasuke. But only if my apprentice, Sakura, will join you." Tsunade knew Sakura would go crazy if she didn't go."

Jiraiya's hopes sunk upon hearing that comment. He believed the girl would hold them back. _"Not only that, but her feelings for Sasuke are still eminent. That could pose a problem if we were forced too take rash decisions."_ However, Jiraiya knew Tsunade gave him a wide leash, and if he declined her apprentice, she could deny him permission to take Naruto to begin with. "O…okay. Are you sure she'll be able to handle it though? The worst-case scenario is that we will be forced to kill Sasuke. Can she handle that?"

"As a medic-nin, she will be exposed to situations like that on the battlefield constantly. This will be a good learning experience for her," replied Tsunade. "I personally trained her while you were out with Naruto. I have complete confidence in her." Tsunade gave Jiraiya a slight smile, which made him nod in agreement.

"Okay it's settled then. I will go find Naruto. Tell your apprentice to be ready to leave by tomorrow morning."


	4. Chapter 4: Search for Teammates!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its affiliates, I only own this plot and my own original characters.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Search for Teammates!**

Naruto's eyes opened widely when he saw Ichiraku Ramen. "I haven't been here in a long time! Old man, I'm here! Naruto ran into the shop and jumped on a chair at the bar. He was ready to eat as much ramen as he could hold, and that was a lot in Naruto's case.

"Well would you look at that. It's my number one customer! What would you like today my friend?" The old man was obviously glad to see Naruto back. That kid always seemed to remind him of his youth, a time that had long but left him.

"Pork please! And could you make it two to start with?"

"I would be glad too Naruto. We've missed you here. Business has been rather slow lately. Where have you been?"

"Naruto! It's been a while! Where have you been?" The waitress Ayame walked into Naruto's view, her smile larger than ever. The way these two looked at Naruto, it was obvious that they appreciated the child a lot.

Naruto chuckled out loud. _"Wait until they hear this story, they'll never believe it!"_ Naruto's face had a huge smile, which was a sign that he was about to boast on his accomplishments. "Well, first I was training for days trying to perfect a new move, and then I defeated an extremely powerful opponent with it!" Naruto was so excited that he couldn't even remember the entire story.

The old man brought Naruto's first bowl of ramen and placed it in front of him. "Well take care of yourself out there. We can't afford to lose our number one customer!" The old man's smile never left his face while he said that to Naruto.

"You can bet I'll be fine old man!" Naruto gave him a thumbs up to solidify his promise. "There's no way Naruto Uzumaki will die yet!" Naruto immediately began to indulge into his ramen. He savored it's sweet taste, a taste he nearly forgot.

"Naruto! I knew I could find you here."

Naruto turned around with about five inches of ramen hanging from his mouth to find Shikamaru standing in the shop. "Do you mind if I ate with you?"

Naruto finished the ramen he was working on before smiling at him. "Sure thing Shikamaru! I'll pay!"

"No I can handle myself. It's troublesome, but it's the least I can do," Shikamaru said. He proceeded to sit next to Naruto. "I'll have some Chicken ramen please."

"One chicken coming right up!" said the old man.

Naruto finished his ramen and looked at Shikamaru. "So how have you been? Finally out of the hospital I take it."

Shikamaru sighed softly, then nodded at Naruto. "I was let go by Tsunade earlier today. It's so troublesome I tell you. Ino is still in the hospital, and Chouji was let go yesterday. If you and Sakura hadn't shown up, we'd probably all be dead."

Naruto's face tensed up at Shikamaru. "Don't say that you baka! We don't know what would have happened over there."

Shikamaru put his hand up letting Naruto know he was wrong. "We were clearly outclassed. I made a mistake by not knowing all of that Kazuku's abilities, and we were at a mismatch from the start. That's one reason why I wanted to find you Naruto."

"What do you mean Shikamaru?" Naruto was slow on a lot of things, but this time he had no idea what Shikamaru was getting at.

"I wanted to thank you for saving me back there. It's troublesome, but I had to do it. If you weren't there I'd certainly be dead now." Shikamaru looked at Naruto with a smirk appearing across his face. "I guess you could say I owe you one."

Naruto stood there in shock at what Shikamaru said. He then chuckled to himself and gave a thumbs up to Shikamaru. "Yeah I guess I was pretty cool out there."

Shikamaru smirked. _"That Naruto. Now he is going to be bragging about this all week."_ He then nodded at Naruto, knowing the trouble he might have caused.

Naruto and Shikamaru were interrupted by a large ruckus outside. It appeared to involve a man and a woman. "Oh come on ladies! I didn't mean it that way!"

Naruto's eyes lit open upon hearing that. "That Ero-Sennin!" he yelled. "He's always getting into trouble. Take your 'research' elsewhere Ero-Sennin!"

Jiraiya looked into the shop, glad to see Naruto. "Well that just made my search easier. I've got business to talk Naruto."

Naruto sighed at this thought. _"Man, I am not helping in his research again!"_

"Jiraiya-san. You're one of the legendary sannin right?" said Shikamaru.

"You're a bright one boy. Are you a friend of Naruto? I'm sure he has told you some weird things about me but I can assure you that none of them are true!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

Shikamaru sighed at that comment. "Actually he hasn't told me a thing about you."

Jiraiya jumped in shock at this comment! "What! This is the respect he shows me after all the training I gave him?" Jiraiya walked to Naruto and put his arm around his shoulder. "Naruto, I'm crushed."

"Get that arm off me Ero-Sennin! Why did you want to talk to me anyway!" Shikamaru could tell that Naruto was a little uncomfortable at Jiraiya's actions.

Jiraiya's face quickly turned serious. "I have news on Sasuke."

This quickly got the attention of both Naruto and Shikamaru. _"Sasuke?" Shikamaru thought. "That's right. Orochimaru's body transfer should be ready any time now."_ Shikamaru thought back nearly three years ago when he led a team in the vain attempt to rescue Sasuke. He grimaced at that thought. It was the first mission he led as a Chuunin, and almost all of his teammate's lives at one point or another were fatally in danger. That mission almost caused him to quit being a ninja, but he gave up that idea after numerous lectures from his father Shikaku and Temari.

Naruto was in complete shock at Jiraiya's remark. "What do you know about Sasuke?"

"It's been almost three years Naruto. It's nearly time for Orochimaru to transfer bodies with Sasuke." Jiraiya decided to leave it at that and let Naruto do the rest of the talking.

"He's almost ready? What are we waiting for Ero-Sennin! We have to go rescue him! If we don't then everything I have trained for these past few years would have gone to waste." Naruto began to jump around his seat. "I have to grab my stuff. We have to go now!"

"Naruto, settle down. Oh man this is so troublesome. Look Naruto. We still have time. It's not much, but we have time. There's no need to rush things. That will only lead to failure." Shikamaru knew that Naruto would not buy this, but it was the truth.

"The boy is correct Naruto. Orochimaru won't be able to do it for another couple weeks. But you are still right. We cannot, and will not, waste any time. Be ready by tomorrow morning. Sakura will accompany us, as well as anyone else you wish to bring along. But do note that this will be an extremely dangerous mission, and anyone who might not be up to the task should be left behind."

Naruto nodded at Jiraiya. _"There is one person I need to ask, and I will head there right now."_ Naruto could feel himself tensing up. _"This is what I have been training for. I can't fail!"_

Shikamaru began to analyze the situation. _"I gave Naruto my word a while back that I would help him save Sasuke, but would I actually help the team or would I hinder them. Damn this is troublesome, I am going to regret this."_

"Hey, Jiraiya-san. I would like to join your team."

Naruto gasped at Shikamaru's statement. "Shikamaru?" His puzzled face quickly turned into a happy one. "Of course Shikamaru! There is no brighter ninja than you! And your shadow abilities will help us out greatly!"

Jiraiya nodded. _"He's a member of the Nara clan. They use their shadows to paralyze their opponent. That might indeed be helpful. Plus, he was the first of their class to make Chuunin, and I also personally believe he should be a Jounin now."_ Jiraiya smiled at Shikamaru. "Welcome aboard. You too must be ready early tomorrow then." Jiraiya returned his stare at Naruto. "Well then I'm off. I have the rest of the night to finish my 'research', so I'll see you two tomorrow morning them! Well until then!" With that, Jiraiya vanished from sight.

An eerie node of silence was present between Naruto and Shikamaru. Both of them knew damn well how important this was. Naruto was training just for this moment, and Shikamaru needed to redeem himself from his past failure.

Shikamaru decided to break the awkward silence. "I'm going to head out Naruto. We should make sure we are completely prepared for the mission. I guess that means I'll see you tomorrow Naruto. You should go and rest."

Naruto shook his head in disapproval at Shikamaru. "There is one person I would like to have on my team. I must go and ask him. That is, if I can get inside to ask him." Naruto appeared to be unsure if he would be able too.

Shikamaru immediately guessed who Naruto was talking about. Neji Hyuuga. "I'd help you out Naruto, but it sounds very troublesome. I'll wish you the best of luck and see you tomorrow." With that, Shikamaru headed out.

"_Damn that man is lazy. But he is reliable. I'm glad he'll be on our team."_ Naruto proceeded to head to the Hyuuga estate, hoping to convince Neji to join the team.

* * *

Naruto arrived at the gates of the Hyuuga estate. _"So this is where Neji and Hinata live then? Wow this is a big place."_

"State your business here boy!" said one of the guards. He obviously did not appear friendly.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I need to speak with Neji Hyuuga. I demand to be let in!" Although he did not expect to be let in, he was not going to be nice with these guards. He had expectations on how they would treat him.

The other guard laughed out loud. "The demon fox child? We're sorry, but our lord Hiashi would not think highly of your presence on our grounds. Please leave."

Naruto's eyes lit up at this remark. _"So just because I am the container for the Kyuubi, I am not allowed in? We'll see how long they believe that."_ Naruto got into a fighting stance. "If you won't let me in, then I'll force my way in!"

"What's the commotion guards?" said a voice from the interior of the estate. "Naruto? What are you doing here?"

"Neji! I need to talk to you about something extremely important! Can you let me pass?"

Neji looked at the two guards. "Naruto Uzumaki is a friend. Let him pass."

The two Hyuuga guards looked at Neji in shock. How could he be friends with the demon child? Lord Hiashi would not be pleased. "Alright, he can pass. But know that we did not allow it!"

The two guards opened the gates and Naruto walked into the Hyuuga estate. Just the outskirts of the place was enough to make any resident of Konoha surprised. There were two huge pools of water in front of the manor, which was not what one would call normal sized. Naruto couldn't believe how big the place was.

Neji walked with Naruto along the outskirts of the manor. "I've never seen you around the manor before Naruto-kun. What brings you here?" Neji gave Naruto a sharp stare. The two were on good terms with each other. Neji owed Naruto much for how he changed his life. _"I wonder why he is here. I know Hinata-sama has a huge crush on him, but is that the reason he is here? No, it can't be. He's Naruto after all, there's no way he has caught on."_

Naruto had been trying to come up with the words to say to Neji on his way to the estate. "Neji. You remember three years ago when we went to rescue Sasuke right?"

Neji could never forget that time. He was almost killed by the sound ninja he fought. It was also the fight where he learned not to give into fate and destiny. "Yes I remember. What do you mean by that though?"

"Well Orochimaru is nearly able to transfer into Sasuke's body. And tomorrow, I am going on a mission with Jiraiya, Shikamaru, and Sakura in an attempt to save him before he falls victim to Orochimaru." Naruto turned his gaze onto Neji, who had his pale eyes fixed onto him. "I guess I'll get to the point immediately. We could greatly use your Byakugan. Can you help us?"

Neji gazed into Naruto's eyes. He could tell that Naruto was desperate with this mission and needed help. Although, he knew he couldn't go. Hiashi demanded him not to go on any missions for the time being. He did not know why. "Naruto. I can tell in your eyes how desperate you want this mission to succeed. However, I cannot lend my services at this time. Please understand my reasoning. I would be going against the orders of Lord Hiashi, and that would be risky for me being a branch family member. I am sorry."

Naruto suddenly felt a feeling of depression. With Neji on their team, he would have felt extremely confident about the success of the mission. However, Neji wasn't able to go.

The thought of suggesting Naruto take Hinata along crossed Neji's mind. However, he was extremely unsure if that would be a good idea or not. Ever since Naruto left the village, Neji made a vow to protect Hinata and fulfill his role to the clan. This definitely sounded like a dangerous mission, for they would encounter Orochimaru and Sasuke, two enemies of extreme power. He knew himself how much Hinata has grown over the past few years, but he would feel guilty placing her at risk. He was also unsure of how she would act in front of Naruto, which could place the mission at jeopardy. Moreover, if the mission would fail because of it, she would never forgive herself.

"Naruto. It's not easy for me to openly admit this, but you are a friend to me."

Naruto's eyes opened widely at this comment. _"A friend?"_ He never expected Neji to say anything related to this in the open.

"If I could help you, I certainly would. Do know that I am in your debt. I promise to help you out next time."

Naruto smiled at Neji's comment. He was surprised on how much Neji had changed during the two and a half years he was gone. He was actually a likeable person now in Naruto's eyes. "Thank you Neji. It's getting late here; I should leave before I cause problems."

"Hai. Farewell Naruto-kun. Good luck," answered Neji.

Naruto began to head to the entry gates, when a thought crossed his mind. _"I haven't seen her in a while, and probably shouldn't try to find her in the estate. I'll tell Neji for me."_ He turned around to Neji. "Can you tell Hinata I said hello?"

Neji gasped at Naruto's statement. A smile then slowly crossed his face. "I will Naruto. She will be most happy to hear it."

"Thank you Neji! See you when we get back with Sasuke!" With that, Naruto headed out of the Hyuuga manor to get prepared for the dangerous mission on the horizon tomorrow.

Neji walked back into the manor. He replayed Naruto's last words in his mind. _"Can you tell Hinata I said hello?"_ Neji laughed to himself. Now the only question was whether to tell her before or after Naruto left.

* * *

**Translations:**  
**Ero-Sennin** - Perverted Hermit 


	5. Chapter 5: Hyuuga Affairs

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its affiliates, I only own this plot and my own original characters.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Hyuuga Affairs**

Sakura tried to hold back her tears as she looked at the picture of what once was Team 7. Naruto was on the left, with Sakura in the middle, and Sasuke on the right. Their sensei, Kakashi, was in the middle behind Sakura with his hands on the heads of Naruto and Sasuke. "Sasuke, what have you become?"

Sakura clutched the picture to her chest, remembering all of the memories they had together. Some were enjoyable, while others were painful. The memory that always came to her head first was when she confessed her love to Sasuke in a vain attempt to convince him to stay in the village.

What would she say to Sasuke when she saw him again? He could have killed them all in their last encounter. What if she was forced to kill Sasuke to protect her teammates? _"Do I even have the courage to fight him?"_

Sakura checked her supplies. She figured her medical ninjutsu would play a huge role in whatever would happen, so she wanted to make sure she was prepared. _"It seems like I have everything."_ Sakura sighed to herself, knowing that everything she has worked for these past few years was on the line. She couldn't fail. Not after all the hard work and tears she had put into this. Failure was not an option.

* * *

Neji just finished his training with Hiashi for the night. The training was tougher than usual, and Neji figured it was because his mind was focused on the mission Naruto was going on tomorrow. He wished he could go. He knew they needed his Byakugan.

"What's the matter Neji? You were completely off on everything tonight," informed Hiashi.

Neji bowed his head upon hearing the remark. Apparently, Hiashi was not aware of Naruto being in the estate earlier, and he thought it would be better if he did not know. "I just have my mind on something else. That is all."

Hiashi was not going to buy that as an answer. "That may be true. However, I feel it is something more than that. What is it?"

Neji glanced around the room. _"Good, Hinata-sama is not in the room. I guess it's okay if I tell him."_ Neji prepared for Hiashi's remark to what he was about to say. "A group of Konoha ninja is going on a mission to try to rescue Sasuke Uchia. I heard it earlier today, and was just concerned. That is all."

"And who did you hear it from? I thought I told you to remain in the estate all day," Hiashi said. He folded his arms and glared at Neji, obviously knowing he was holding something back.

_"Dammit this guy is persistent. Well, I guess now I'll have to give him the entire story." _Neji looked Hiashi in his pale eyes. "Naruto Uzumaki came to the estate today to inquire that I join his team. That is how I knew. I declined because of your wishes."

Hiashi's face quickly turned angry. "Why did you let that demon child enter the estate? He only breeds trouble, and is not someone you should be associating with."

_"Demon child? What does Hiashi mean?" Neji thought to himself._ He quickly noticed a shuffle in the passageway to his left. _"This is great. I should have kept my mouth shut."_

Hiashi turned around and sunk his head. "In a way, it's good the runt is going on a mission of that caliber. Maybe that Sasuke kid will do us all a favor and kill him."

"What are you saying?" Neji retorted. "I will not allow you to talk about Naruto that way!" Neji's glare quickly met Hiashi's, and for a moment, Neji thought he would activate the curse mark on his head. Neji was prepared to face the worst though.

There was a moment of awkward silence between the two. "It is better if you didn't know his secret." Hiashi's stare left Neji. "There will be no more talk on this topic. I do not want to hear his name mentioned again. Is that understood?"

Neji's glare never left Hiashi's face. He wanted to fight back, but was too afraid of having Hiashi think less of him. "Hai," he responded.

"Good. Now why don't you retire for the night? I know I am." Hiashi left the room, leaving only Neji.

There was a loud clanking sound down the hallway where Neji noticed someone's presence, as if that person was running away. Neji knew from the beginning who that person was. _"Well, I guess I should speak to her," Neji thought to himself._

* * *

Hinata slammed the door shut behind her and buried her face in her pillow. She just wanted everything to end right now. _"How could father say something like that about Naruto? What did he ever do to him?" _ Her father seemed to despise everything Hinata did, and she did not know why. Although she was the heir to the clan, she was really beginning to despise her father, as well as her entire clan. She jumped when she heard knocking on her door. _"Oh no, is father going to yell at me again?"_

"Hinata-sama, may I come in?" asked Neji.

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief when she found out Neji was the one at her door. "Ano, come in," she managed to reply. Her face was still bright red from her tears, and she was not sure how Neji would react to her current state.

"You were listening to the conversation between your father and I, am I correct?" Neji did not wait for her to answer, nor did he expect her to get the answer out. "Don't take what your father says seriously. I know I don't."

Hinata was surprised at Neji's comments. "Ano, w-why do you…speak of Naruto-kun that way?" She was curious as to what Neji's response would be.

Neji moved his head to look at the ceiling, and then returned his gaze to Hinata's curious face. "He changed my outlook on life. He made me who I am today, and I could never repay him for that." He gripped his hand hard, recalling Naruto's visit earlier. "Earlier today he visited the estate. He wanted me to pass on his greetings to you."

Hinata's face was in shock. "N-N-Naruto-kun visited today?" Her blush became extremely evident at this moment. _"It must have been while I was out. Why does everything seem to go wrong for me?"_

Neji smiled to himself at Hinata's reaction. "Hai. He asked me if I wanted to join his team for the mission they're embarking on tomorrow."

Hinata overheard her father mention Sasuke while he was berating Naruto. Was that the mission? "Ano, d-d-does it have to do with…ano, Sasuke?"

"Hai. They are going to attempt to rescue him from Orochimaru. He thought my Byakugan would be a valuable asset for their team." Neji closed his eyes for a second, halfway wishing he could go on the mission. "But I had to turn him down due to your father's wishes."

_"I thought so. He thinks I'm weak," Hinata thought to herself. "He went to Neji because he's strong. Again I go overlooked."_ Hinata lowered her head, trying to prevent her tears from being shown. Neji's eyes were far too good for Hinata to hide her distress however.

"Hinata-sama, you should go and say goodbye to him tomorrow."

Hinata's eyes opened widely at this statement. _"Say goodbye? But I don't think I can do it. I'm still not ready. I really haven't talked to him much in three years."_

Neji could tell that Hinata was a little nervous about what he just said, so he decided to give her some persuasion to do so. "They're embarking on a dangerous mission. There is a high possibility he will not come back alive. That is why you should tell him how you feel." With that, Neji walked out of Hinata's room. "Goodnight Hinata-sama," he said as he closed her door.

Hinata sat on her bed for what seemed like an eternity. Neji's last words constantly ran through her head. _"You should tell him how you feel."_ She could not do it. She knew she could not do it. She was just too damn afraid to do so. Again, tears started to roll down her face. _"Why can't I confront him? Why do I have to be so damn scared?"_

Suddenly, her visit with Kurenai earlier in the day crossed her mind. _"And once someone is dead, they will never know how you really felt."_ She remembered Neji told her there was a high possibility that Naruto could die in the upcoming mission. If he did die, he never would know how she actually felt about him. How could she live on with him not having the possibility of knowing?

She then stood up from her bed with her eyes full of resolve. _"Hai. I'll find him tomorrow morning and…tell him…before he leaves."_ Hinata wished she could do it now before her newfound determination left her.


	6. Chapter 6: Team Jiraiya Sets Off!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its affiliates, I only own this plot and my own original characters.

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Determination Hinata Never Had – Team Jiraiya Sets Off!**

Jiraiya arrived at the meeting site long before anyone else, which was exactly what he wanted. He wanted to make sure everyone was all set to go before the embarked. He thought back to the previous night. He met Kakashi to let him know about Naruto and Sakura's mission.

* * *

_Flashback_

Kakashi looked at Jiraiya with a nervous intent. Although he personally trained Naruto to learn wind manipulation, he was worried on whether Naruto would be able to compete with Sasuke. After all, he was not sure of what crude methods Orochimaru might have used on Sasuke during his training.

"Kakashi, you have to let those two go. Naruto and Sakura are the only two people who can bring Sasuke back."

Kakashi lowered his head in disgust. For the past three years, he cursed himself for being late to the Valley of the End on that fateful day. If he arrived on time, Sasuke might not have made it to Orochimaru. Now he was their enemy, and soon he would be Orochimaru's new vessel. Kakashi also knew that with the Sharingan, Orochimaru could possibly become the most powerful being alive. "If I could come it would be a different story Jiraiya. Naruto and Sakura were on my team, the first team I ever graduated."

"Kakashi," interrupted Jiraiya. Kakashi's gaze drifted to Jiraiya, whose face now occupied a serious look. "They are not your students anymore. They are Konoha Shinobi. Right now a huge threat lingers on our shoulders, and those two are the only two capable of ending it."

Kakashi knew Jiraiya was right on that issue. However, he knew Sasuke better than anyone. No matter how much strength Naruto and Sakura possessed, they did not have the training to equally fight a Sharingan user. He did not believe Sasuke possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan yet, but if he did then that team stood no chance. However, Kakashi knew it had to be done. "I know what you mean Jiraiya. I just feel guilty not being there."

"Don't worry. I will make sure Naruto does not do anything stupid. I know the baka better than anyone does. I did train him for over two years." Jiraiya smirked at Kakashi, trying to increase his faith in him.

For some reason, that comment did not help Kakashi. However, he nodded at Jiraiya, noting his trust in the sannin. He was a sannin for a reason. Maybe this mission could be successful after all.

_End Flashback_

* * *

Jiraiya's gaze returned to notice Sakura and Shikamaru making their way too him. Jiraiya laughed to himself. _"Just as I thought, both of those two arrived before Naruto."_

"Good morning Jiraiya-sannin," said Sakura. Shikamaru raised a hand for his greeting. It was obvious he was not a morning person. In fact, Sakura was surprised he had the motivation to wake up so early in the morning.

"Glad to see you two made it. Now we just have to wait for Naruto to show up."

Shikamaru sighed aloud. "If he ever shows up."

Jiraiya chuckled upon thinking of a great idea. "You're right. We have time to get breakfast before he arrives. I will treat! That will annoy Naruto even more." The three of them proceeded to get some food while waiting for Naruto to arrive.

* * *

Hinata crawled out of her window. It was still dark outside, but she also knew this was the time important missions usually started. She had to find Naruto before he reached the group. That was the only way she could find the confidence to talk to him. She smiled when she realized she had the tool to easily find him. _"Naruto-kun, I hope you acknowledge me." _She raised her hands and formed the seal. "Byakugan!" she yelled.

Instantly she was able to see the entire town. Luckily for her, not many people were in the streets of Konoha. She immediately noticed Jiraiya, Sakura, and Shikamaru at Ichiraku Ramen. She was surprised when she did not see Naruto there. _"I wonder where he could be."_

Her gaze drifted to the section of the city where Naruto's apartment was, but could not find him there either. As she began to lose faith, she noticed a figure running down the streets. That was definitely Naruto.

Hinata's confidence suddenly rose as she saw him running across the streets of Konoha. _"Okay, now I just have to meet him somewhere. I know, I will find him by accident. That won't make it look as obvious."_ With that, Hinata leaped outside of the Hyuuga estate, hoping she could find Naruto before he found the group.

* * *

"Man I'm so tired," said Naruto. He could not sleep at all last night. The thought of returning Sasuke to Konoha could not leave his mind. He was going to keep his promise to Sakura.

He laughed when he remembered that promise. Naruto gave Sakura the promise of a lifetime partially because he had a huge crush on her, but more importantly because he wanted to see her happy. He was surprised that Sakura took the news as well as she did. This time however, he would fulfill the promise. He did not have that crush on her anymore, but he would not defy his nindo.

"_Sasuke," Naruto thought to himself._ He remembered the last time they met – a few months ago. Sasuke was able to repel the Kyuubi. In fact, it almost seemed like the Kyuubi was afraid of Sasuke. _"Am I even strong enough to defeat him?_

Naruto sighed to himself, and felt a feeling of depression overcome him. He remembered this feeling. It was a feeling of doubt, and the only time he experienced this was before his match against Neji in the Chuunin Exams. _"Sasuke, what has become of you?"_

Naruto's pace slowed down as he reached the outskirts of Konoha. He raised his head to see a figure in the distance. _"I wonder who it is this early in the morning."_ As he reached the figure, he quickly recognized her. "Hinata!" Naruto called out.

Hinata jumped in excitement, though to Naruto it appeared as if it was out of shock. _"He acknowledged me first!" Hinata thought._ "N-Naruto-kun. G-Good morning," she managed to get out. _"Come on Hinata, get a hold of yourself. You can do this."_

Naruto smiled upon seeing her. In fact, he just realized that he has hardly seen her since he returned to Konoha. But she was still weird as always. However, she did look extremely beautiful. _"I don't remember her looking that beautiful. When did she…wait a second, stop thinking those thoughts Naruto. Damn, I've been hanging around Ero-Sennin far too long."_

He returned her gaze. Hinata's face was becoming red; a trait Naruto noticed a lot when he talked to her. He always thought it was because she was sick, but hanging around Jiraiya taught Naruto a few things. However, he never mentioned someone become red in the face. He would have to bring it up with him later. "What are you doing out here so early Hinata?"

"Ano…I-I…ano, just got some…shopping done." Hinata's fingers quickly met and she started to play with them, must like she always did when she was speaking to him. She was indeed extremely nervous. _"How am I ever going to tell him if I can't keep my composure. Oh no, I'm feeling light-headed. No! I will not faint this time. I have to stand strong."_ Hinata attempted to look Naruto in the face. "Why are you out here so early?" Hinata surprised even herself there. _"I actually fluently said that?"_

"I'm heading out on a mission today," Naruto said.

Little did Naruto know, Hinata was already informed of that. She also knew what the mission consisted of, and how dangerous it was. However, she had to act as if she did not know that information. "What is the mission?"

Naruto lowered his head, and began to shake. _"Why am I acting like this? I haven't even left Konoha and I'm nervous for the mission."_ He knew he had to act strong about it though. "I'm heading on a mission with Jiraiya, Sakura, and Shikamaru to rescue Sasuke. It's almost time for Orochimaru to transfer bodies with him." Naruto ended his sentence there. He did not know hat else to say.

Hinata stood there trembling. _"What do I say? What do I say? What do I say?"_ She remembered what happened the last time he tried to rescue Sasuke. It ended up in a hospital stay, and Hinata again failed to visit him, instead opting to faint when she saw him all bandaged up. "Ano, that sounds d-dangerous." She did not know what else to say, and was hoping Naruto's response would help guide her.

Naruto felt a huge lump go down his throat. "I know. I have to do it. However…" Naruto did not know how to say this. He knew Hinata thought he was strong, but he could not lie to her. "However, I don't know if I can do it. I don't think I'm stronger than Sasuke."

Hinata knew she had to say something. She was trembling all over. She knew she had to tell him her feelings, but he was feeling so down about himself. Was this the right time to do so? First, she had to somehow make him feel better. "Ano, you don't know that until…you actually fight, Naruto-kun."

Naruto looked up at Hinata with a surprised look on his face. Hinata suddenly shrieked and looked down on the ground, twiddling her fingers at an even more rapid rate than before. "Ano…I….ano….you're strong, Naruto-kun. I do not know what it is, but…ano…there is this….aura…ano, about you that makes you likeable. If there is anyone who can save Sasuke…ano, it's you. Ano, you give everything you have to help others. That…ano, I believe will bring…Sasuke back."

Hinata's face was now completely red, and sweat was visible on her face. _"I actually said that to Naruto. I cannot believe I made it through that. But, what will he say?"_ This made Hinata more nervous than before. Would Naruto blow it off or will he acknowledge her attempt to make him feel better?

Naruto could not believe what he just heard from Hinata. For his whole life, he has received nothing but disrespect from the villagers, but Hinata just said there was this likeable aura about him! She also said he was strong, and was the only one able to bring Sasuke back. Something struck Naruto inside, and his confidence level rose. _"Maybe I can bring Sasuke back. Maybe I can defeat him."_

Naruto suddenly smiled in front of Hinata. "Thanks Hinata! I'm feeling much better about this mission now!"

Hinata gasped at Naruto's comment. _"That collection of words actually helped? It helped! I made Naruto-kun happy again!"_ Hinata was so happy with herself again. Seeing Naruto happy made her happy. "Ano, y-you're welcome N-Naruto-kun."

Naruto could not help but take his eyes off Hinata. She had her hands placed under her chin, and she looked so adorable like that. _"What am I thinking? Damn you Ero-Sennin! I'll kill you after this mission for sure!"_

There was a small moment of silence between the two, leaving Hinata wondering what to say. However, Naruto decided to break the silence with a laugh. "I can always rely on Hinata to make me feel better! You did it during the Chuunin Exams and just right now!"

Hinata became startled and started to twiddle her fingers. _"He can rely on me?"_ She started to speak but nothing came out. She knew she had to say something. "I-I-I just want to…ano…to….see…ano, you happy."

"See me happy? But why Hinata? It's not like I've always been there for you," responded Naruto.

"_But you have," thought Hinata. "You made me who I am today. I just…cannot say it to you. No! I have to say that."_ Hinata took a large gulp and tried to form words to describe how she was thinking. "That's not…true," Hinata managed to utter out. _"Be strong, you need to say this to him in a way that he can clearly understand." _Hinata took another deep breath and continued. "Ever since I first saw you, your attitude always gave me strength. I could never believe in myself, but I think you were able to make me feel better about myself. And Naruto-kun, because of this, I-I-I..." Hinata's face was deep red now, and she could feel her heart beating rapidly. She knew this was it, that she had to do it now. Hinata took a deep breath. "Ano, b-b-because of that, I-I-I-I, ano…I-l-o-…"

The pressure became too great for Hinata, and she sunk to the floor. Before she hit the floor, Naruto caught her. "Hinata! Are you okay?"

"_What just happened? Did I faint? No, I'm still awake. But I didn't hit the ground. Oh my god! Naruto-kun is holding me! I'm in Naruto-kun's arms!"_ Hinata's pale eyes opened up to see Naruto's face right by hers. Hinata was currently in heaven. She failed to tell Naruto her feelings. Well, she managed to get halfway through the sentence at least! But she was in Naruto's arms. That completely consumed her world now. "Naruto-kun…," she uttered.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "That's a relief. For a minute I thought you fainted." Naruto could not help but look into the girl's eyes. _"Damn she's cute."_ For a minute, Sasuke completely left Naruto's mind. Naruto did what first came to his mind. He brought Hinata close to him, and hugged her.

At this moment, Hinata was in a world she never thought she would be in. _"Naruto's hugging me. Is this a dream?"_ Hinata got caught up in the moment, and placed her arms around his body. She felt so safe, as if all her worries about the Hyuuga clan and her training completely vanished.

They stood there for what seemed like an eternity. He opened his eyes, and noticed the sun peak over the horizon. _"Wait a second, how long have they been waiting? Dammit, Sakura's going to punch my head off."_ Naruto slowly released his hold on Hinata, and Hinata sadly did the same. "I got to go now, I'm keeping my team waiting," Naruto told Hinata.

"_Was I keeping him? Oh no!"_ Hinata quickly looked at the ground, wondering if Naruto was mad. "Ano-I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun."

"Don't worry. It is not your fault. It's only Sakura that I'm worried about. She has a temper when she gets mad."

"_Sakura…," Hinata thought._ At times, she just wished Sakura would disappear so Naruto would not always talk about her.

Naruto could tell Hinata looked worried. "Don't worry Hinata, I promise I will come back alive. And I will have Sasuke with me too!" Naruto then smiled and gave Hinata a thumbs-up. As Rock Lee would call it, Naruto just gave Hinata the "nice-guy" pose. "I'll see you when I get back Hinata!"

Hinata just stood there like a statue while Naruto ran off. _"He gave me that pose. The exact one he gave Sakura all those years ago. He gave me that same pose."_ Hinata could not help but form a smile across her mouth. Although she failed to tell him how she really felt, she felt like she accomplished something this morning. _"Be safe Naruto-kun,"_ _she thought as she walked away._

* * *

Jiraiya, Sakura, and Shikamaru were feeling uneasy while they waited for Naruto. Jiraiya had time to eat breakfast and write two chapters in his new book during the wait. Shikamaru got in some extra sleep, and Sakura was not surprised if he was wide-awake when Naruto would arrive.

"Damn it!" Sakura hissed. "That baka sure is late! I am so going to punch his head off when he gets here."

"Maybe he ran into a door," answered an awake Shikamaru.

Not seconds after Shikamaru responded, Naruto ran bolting across the horizon. "Ero-Sennin! Sakura! Shikamaru! I-I can explain," said an exhausted Naruto.

Sakura began to tighten her black, leather gloves. "It better be good you baka! I'm going to give you beat you to a bloody pulp!"

Jiraiya decided now was a good time to interfere. "Okay children listen up! We have a dangerous mission on our hands, and we need everyone at one hundred percent! That means Sakura cannot beat up Naruto until we finish the mission. Am I clear?"

Sakura and Shikamaru quickly agreed, while Naruto was slow to agreeing. He wasn't too fond of Jiraiya allowing Sakura to beat him.

"Jiraiya-sannin, do you have any idea where Sasuke could be?" Sakura asked.

A slight smirk appeared on Jiraiya's face. "I have an idea where they are now, and where they will be shortly. Let us go. Valuable time is escaping from us." With that, the group of Jiraiya, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sakura left Konoha in their mission to save Sasuke from Orochimaru's grasp.


	7. Chapter 7: Orochimaru's Plot

Finally get to see Sasuke! It's time to focus on the villians for the moment. The Blue-Haired Akatsuki member's identity is revealed, and Kisame trembles before her!

Don't forget to review!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its affiliates, I only own this plot and my own original characters.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Orochimaru's Plot**

Sasuke Uchia sat deep in thought in his quarters. He was keeping track of the days that have gone by since his defection from Konoha. _"It's almost been three years. It's gone by far too fast."_ He knew that the time for Orochimaru to transfer bodies with him was nearing.

At first, Sasuke could have cared less if Orochimaru used his body. All he wanted was for Itachi to die from his hands, whether Orochimaru controlled him or not. However, as the years flew by, Sasuke realized the power he had achieved. No longer did he want Orochimaru to manipulate him. In fact, he was not even sure if Orochimaru would go after Itachi after the transfer.

_"I am an avenger. I exist only to kill Itachi."_ That has been Sasuke's goal ever since Itachi wiped out the Uchia clan. Sasuke was more dedicated than ever to accomplish it, especially with Orochimaru's powers.

He remembered Itachi's words after he killed the entire clan. _"You are not even worth killing. Foolish little brother. If you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run and cling to life."_

Sasuke immediately raised his head upon remembering this. _"Wrong! I have found power in my own way. I will kill you in my own way!_"

Sasuke knew Orochimaru could not take him captive. He had secretly been working out a plan for when the time came. He knew he was Orochimaru was stronger than he was, but he was confident in giving him a good fight.

* * *

"Do you really expect Sasuke to go quietly?" asked Kabuto. Over the past year, Kabuto had grown increasingly suspicious of Sasuke's activity. In fact, he nearly killed Sasuke in his sleep not so long ago.

Orochimaru smiled at Kabuto. "I never did. Sasuke is not a fool Kabuto. But unfortunately for him, neither am I." Orochimaru's smile grew deeper as he compiled his thoughts. He had been planning this over the past year, his plan to deceive and betray Sasuke.

Kabuto was clearly not as confident as Orochimaru. "But Orochimaru-sama, Sasuke has grown too strong for us. He is out of my league, and he might even be able to challenge you!"

"Say that one more time and I won't hesitate to kill you," Orochimaru replied. Kabuto began to tremble, and decided it would be best if he kept his mouth shut. Although he has been Orochimaru's right-hand man for years, he still feared Orochimaru. Kabuto was crafty, but he somehow managed to gain Orochimaru's trust, and he wanted to keep it that way.

Orochimaru drifted his gaze to Kabuto. "I do agree that he may be able to challenge me. Although I think it will be better if he never has the chance too, don't you agree Kabuto?"

From Orochimaru's facial expression, Kabuto clearly knew that he had a plan that he was confident about. "You're planning something, am I right?" asked Kabuto.

Orochimaru snickered to himself, and then nodded at Kabuto. _"This plan will succeed, and soon I'll have the body of Sasuke ready to be transferred too."_

* * *

"Our new member specializes in medical ninjutsu. Give her the proper respect she deserves," the dark figure in the back said.

The Akatsuki group was having a meeting discussing the state of the group following the death of Hidan. Their leader wanted to make sure everyone knew their goals.

"We have no need for medics in this group," said Kisame. "They will only be a burden for this group. Whoever heard of a group of S-Ranked criminals having a medic! In theory that really makes us eight members, since the medic doesn't have enough power to actually contribute."

"Says the one with the most chakra here, yeah," responded Deidara.

"At least I can keep my arms. A bijou cannot be captured by medical ninjutsu alone," said Kisame. He was determined to make his stand against the new member.

"Say one more word and I'll kill you," said a blue-haired figure in the back. Her hologram lifted its gaze to Kisame's hologram. "I found this girl in a near-death state after the battle with the Kyuubi sixteen years ago. She underwent personal training with me, so I know damn well she is a fit for this group, more so than that joke Hidan."

Although his hologram did not show it, Kisame's body began to tremble. Kisame did possess the most chakra out of the group, but she scared him for some reason. In an actual fight between the two, Kisame did not think he could win. In fact, he knew he could not win.

After it was certain the argument between those two passed, Kazuku decided to speak up. "So what does that mean for me? My partner is dead."

"You will not get another partner. The first reason is that I do not trust you with a mortal partner. Secondly, you already captured your tailed beast. The teams were created to make this process more efficient. You now act alone."

Kazuku relished this opportunity. Now he did not have a partner to order him around. He could go around and collect as many bounties as he liked without anyone complaining to him.

"Okay listen up," the figure in the back said. "At this moment, we have six of the tailed beasts. That means we need three more to complete our goal. However, now we are only concentrating on two for the moment. Because Itachi and Kisame failed to capture the Kyuubi when they had the chance, we are going to put that one aside for the time being. Does anyone know if the other two have hosts or if they are alone?"

The blue haired member quickly spoke up. "The five-tails is a jinchuriki. I know exactly where he is. I can have him here by tomorrow."

Kisame apparently had enough of her mouth. "This is the five-tailed beast! If the host knows how to control it, there's no way you can defeat it alone!"

"Don't underestimate Asira, Kisame," the figure in the back said. "She will take the new member, and will have the beast here tomorrow. Meanwhile, we need groups to split into the different countries and try to find the remaining beast. However, avoid Fire Country. They are on heightened alert now for us, and that would be too dangerous. Once we scour the other countries, we'll head into Fire Country, is that understood?" There was a moment of silence, indicating everyone understood. "Dismissed."

* * *

"Damn that leader! Who does he think he is by throwing that cheap shot at us!" shouted Kisame.

Itachi awakened from the meeting. He immediately sighed when Kisame's loud voice greeted him. "He does have a point though. Naruto got away from us. Now he is surrounded by Konoha, so the two of us alone won't be able to grab him."

Kisame glared at Itachi. "Well let's show them who's the strongest in the group! Let's head off."

"Not yet," replied Itachi. He clearly had his mind elsewhere. He remembered an extremely familiar voice that came to him in his sleep. _"Come to Grass Country. There you will prove your worth."_ Itachi constantly thought as to whom that voice belonged too. It was evil and sinister, more so than Asira's voice. "Kisame, you go on ahead. There's something I have to take care off."

"What?" retorted Kisame. "We need to go together and find this damn beast!"

"You go ahead, I'll catch up. Or do I need to persuade you to let me go," Itachi responded.

Kisame quickly noticed Itachi's eyes changing. Kisame knew he was no match for Itachi's Sharingan. _"Dammit," he thought to himself. "The leader is going to have my head if he finds this out."_ Kisame sighed and returned his gaze to Itachi. "Fine, but if you don't catch up within two days, I'll come looking for you."

"I will only need a day Kisame," answered Itachi. With that, the group of two split up to head in different directions. Kisame was trying to find a beast, while Itachi's destination was unknown.

* * *

Sasuke found Orochimaru in his quarters. _"I wonder why he summoned me," Sasuke thought to himself._ He was keeping track of the days as they passed, and he still had couple of days until Orochimaru's body transfer could take place. "You wanted to speak to me?" Sasuke asked his master.

Orochimaru turned around to notice Sasuke standing in the doorway. "Yes I did," he answered. "Sasuke, you have been a great apprentice to me. You have excelled in both strength and intelligence. I believe now is the time to teach you a summoning technique."

_"Summoning technique?"_ Something did not seem right about Orochimaru's statement.

"I want to teach you how to summon the giant snake Manda. What do you think about that?" Orochimaru asked. He was hoping Sasuke would be excited about this opportunity and forget how straightforward he was being with the request.

_"Something is definitely not right. Why would he want me to summon Manda? That snake has a mind of its own, and it could turn on Orochimaru if it liked me better. Something is wrong. But I'll play along with it."_ Sasuke's eyes met Orochimaru. "You know that I will do anything that gives me power, Master."

Orochimaru snickered to himself, knowing that Sasuke was playing right into his hands. "I knew you'd say that. It is late right now. Tomorrow at midday, meet me in Grass Country. That will be enough space to summon the creature. You should rest tonight; you are going to have a very long day tomorrow."

Sasuke left Orochimaru's presence, completely unaware of what Orochimaru had planned for him. _"You are going to have a very long day indeed tomorrow. Let's see how strong you really are, Sasuke-kun."_

* * *

**Notes:**  
- Manda is a snake the Orochimaru can summon. Everytime he is summoned, he requires one-hundred sacrifices. Geez what an ornary snake! He will make an appearance later though!

Who is the new Akatsuki member! Well you know it's a girl, and she hasn't made an appearance in the anime, but she is in the manga! I'll leave you all to chew on that.


	8. Chapter 8: Foolish Little Brother

And thus begins the battle between Sasuke and Itachi. Will Sasuke make Itachi move this time or will he get plastered like in the manga. Read on!

And don't forget to review!

Note: Sasuke is Itachi's little brother. Itachi killed the entire Uchia clan, but let only Sasuke live **  
**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its affiliates, I only own this plot and my own original characters.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Foolish Little Brother**

Team Jiraiya hopped across the trees as they near the border of Fire Country. They were approaching their destination, but Jiraiya knew they were a little less than a day away from it. _"We should have left Konoha sooner. If my timetable is off we're in trouble."_

"Ero-Sennin, where are we going?" asked Naruto.

Jiraiya sighed at that remark. "I've already said it a couple of times Naruto. We are heading to Grass Country. Orochimaru should be there." Jiraiya bowed his head in nervousness. _"At least I hope he will be there."_

* * *

Itachi arrived at the location he was told to go too. To his surprise, no one was around him. He wondered why he was summoned to a location that appeared to be barren of all life.

Itachi detected a large chakra force slowly heading his way. It was a rather familiar source to him, and he knew exactly who it was. _"So he is still alive."_ Itachi knew the terrain around him provided a disadvantage to him. Determined in his victory, Itachi began to head in the direction of the target, proceeding to meet him head on.

* * *

Sasuke quickly approached the territory where Orochimaru told him about. _"So today I get to summon a snake. It still does not seem logical for Orochimaru to teach me this technique."_ Sasuke's mind was not only on that issue, but on the body transfer as well. He only had a day and a half left. _"The timetable between the transfer and the summoning has to be related somehow._

Sasuke immediately stopped on the branch of a tree. He sensed something; and that something was not pleasant. _"Such enormous chakra, I've felt this somewhere before."_ Sasuke suddenly got the feeling that he was walking into a trap. _"Or am I already in the trap?"_

"Foolish little brother," said a voice from behind Sasuke.

Sasuke knew that voice. It had an evil and sinister tone to it, the tone of one who murdered his entire clan. The voice if Itachi Uchia. Sasuke turned around, but to his surprise there was no one behind him. _"Well that's weird. I swear Itachi was behind me."_ Sasuke immediately looked around his surroundings. He was completely surrounded by forests. _"The forest offers plenty of hiding spots in order to create an ambush. If that's the case then….oh shit."_

Sasuke was careless and noticed the attack too late. Two tree roots attached themselves to Sasuke's feet, and suddenly Sasuke was strapped to the front of a tree. _"Dammit, a genjutsu. I fell for it. I need to get out of this somehow."_

Sasuke noticed the form of Itachi appear above him. His hand slowly emerged from the tree and was containing a kunai. _"So it's an assassination type of genjutsu. I need to get out of this fast. The only way for that is to cause enough pain to break the genjutsu, but how can I do that?"_

Sasuke bit his lips as hard as he could; creating a throbbing pain in his mouth that caused blood to leak from his lips. That was all he needed though. The genjutsu broke on Sasuke, and he quickly ducked Itachi's stab. Sasuke immediately jumped to the left in an attempt to escape from Itachi, but Itachi's Sharingan caught that movement before Sasuke actually moved.

Itachi threw his kunai in that direction, impaling Sasuke between the eyes. "You are weak brother," Itachi replied. To Itachi's surprise, a block of wood appeared in Sasuke's place. "So you used the Replacement technique, clever little brother."

Sasuke appeared on a branch behind Itachi. "What are you doing here," he asked. Sasuke was increasingly curious on the whole situation. First, Orochimaru ordered him to this area to learn a summoning, and then he met Itachi alone. Something was clearly amiss.

"I was only told to come here. However, now that I see you here, we can finish what where we left off from our last encounter." Itachi's Sharingan appeared in his eyes, indicating he was ready for combat.

Sasuke responded by activating his Sharingan. This is exactly what Sasuke had been training for. Itachi was right in front of him, and Sasuke had to kill him. "It would be a mistake to underestimate me. I am an avenger. You will die here!" With that, Sasuke quickly threw three shuriken at Itachi, who skillfully caught all three.

"You have to do better than that," replied Itachi.

Sasuke smirked at Itachi's comment. "This is only the beginning." He placed a kunai in his mouth and had another in his right hand, and jumped off the branch he was on towards Itachi. Predicting Itachi's movements, he threw one kunai at Itachi's head, then grabbed the one out of his mouth and threw that one at his torso.

These attacks, however, were in vain against Itachi. His Sharingan picked up Sasuke's attacks, and he skillfully ducked the first one, and then slid to the left to dodge the other one. However, Itachi did not notice the trick to Sasuke's attack. Sasuke quickly sprinted to his right, leaped around the tree behind Itachi, then sprinted back to his starting position. He spread out his arms, and Itachi was suddenly pinned to the tree that was in front of him.

"Invisible wires," Itachi commented. Although he was caught in Sasuke's trap, he did not appear to be phased at all by the attack.

"Correct, I threw those three shuriken as a distraction. I made it seem like my attacks were in vain, and I knew your Sharingan would not pick up the wire I attached. Now it's time for your end brother." Sasuke brought his hands together and quickly formed a couple seals. "Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled. In an instant, two lines of fire extended from Sasuke's fingers, which represented the location of the wires. The twin flames made a head line straight for Itachi.

Itachi stood there and watched the flames head towards him. He noticed that the twin wires were attached to Sasuke's hands, so he could not quickly remove them. Itachi knew what to do. This move would finish Sasuke off for sure.

Itachi closed his eyes, and slowly opened them, revealing his Mangekyo Sharingan. He concentrated on the wires attached in front of him, making sure he did not catch himself in the attack. He closed his eyes again, and opened them slowly. "Amaterasu!" yelled Itachi.

In front of Itachi, a chilling black flame appeared on the wires. Sasuke's twin flames hit the black fire, and were quickly nullified. However, the black flame seemed to absorb the fire, and made its way towards Sasuke.

"_Why is he still standing," thought Sasuke. "He should have been hit by the fire, so what is going…oh shit."_ Sasuke noticed a black flame heading his way. _"Fuck! I don't have a lot of time."_ He quickly unsheathed his katana and sliced the two wires from his hands, but he was too late. The twin black flames reached Sasuke, and at Itachi's will, they immediately blew up.

Sasuke was propelled back, and slammed forcefully into a tree. _"That was too close. I am greatly injured, but if I took the full blow of that, I'd be dead now."_ Sasuke's entire left sleeve of his shirt was burning, and his left arm was emitting black flames that appeared to be eating away at his skin. _"Dammit, so that is what Itachi's jutsu does."_

Sasuke remembered a seal Orochimaru taught him, what he dubbed as the Fire Seal. _"I'll use that seal."_ Sasuke removed his scroll and immediately began to write on it. _"Fuck, I can't even move my left arm, the pain is so unbearable!"_ Sasuke was never good at one-handed seals, but he knew this was his only hope.

He began to form the needed seals, and pressed down on the scroll. To his surprise, the seal was successful, and the black fire was removed from his arm. The damage had been done though. Portions of Sasuke's skin on his arm were completely removed. Sasuke grimaced in pain. It was nearly unbearable for him, but at least he was able to stop it before it completely consumed his arm.

Itachi landed in front of Sasuke, surprised that he managed to survive Amaterasu. "Impressive, Sasuke-kun. But not so impressive." Itachi shook his finger in front of Sasuke to note his displeasure. "I let you live for this? A mediocre jutsu like that cannot defeat me."

Sasuke immediately rose up from the ground. "Shut up! I am avenger! I do not care how powerful you are, I will kill you!" Sasuke immediately began to form seals and planted his hands to the ground. Lightning chakra that sounded like thousands of birds chirping formed from his hands.

Itachi laughed at Sasuke's display. "Foolish little brother. You are weak. You cannot kill me. I can tell this realization is causing you mental suffering, so I will end it right now by taking your life. I hope you do not forgive me."

Sasuke stood there in front of Itachi, his Chidori ready to be unleashed. _"This is my last chance to kill him! I cannot lose here!"_ Sasuke's knees buckled to the ground, and he began his assault.


End file.
